


Protection

by scarslikeconstxllations



Series: The Venom/Spiderman Collection [2]
Category: Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Venom (Comics)
Genre: Eddie Brock/Peter Parker - Freeform, Eddie and his symbiote lowkey want to court Peter, Eventual resolution to their inability to express themselves, Hurt/Comfort, I hate tagging, M/M, Marvel - Freeform, Mercenaries are after Peter, Non-MCU characters, Peter gets trapped, Protection, Spiderman/Venom - Freeform, Venom Symbiote - Freeform, Venom comes to his rescue, Venom/Peter Parker - Freeform, mcu - Freeform, rescuing, spiderman - Freeform, venom - Freeform, why won't they just kiss already
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-08-01 11:59:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16284212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarslikeconstxllations/pseuds/scarslikeconstxllations
Summary: When Spiderman is lured into a biotechnology institution by a fake police radio emergency, he walks right into the trap of a group of mercenaries. Claiming that they work for a company called Alpha, the mercenaries try to capture him. In an attempt to save himself, Spiderman gets injured badly and calls on Eddie and his Other for help.





	1. A Test of Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. I literally am obsessed with the idea of Peter getting injured and Eddie/the symbiote being all protective boyfriend-like. Why? I have no clue. But here I am, writing another thing! I'm so happy with the amount of positive feedback on my first work in this collection, I just couldn't wait to write another one. This one turned out way longer so I'm splitting it into two separate parts.
> 
> I'd love to start a series in this collection with multiple parts but plotting for it is so hard. :( If you guys have any ideas please comment!
> 
> No warnings for this other than some depictions of violence and probably some steamy kissing later. This first part probably won't have much to do with the warnings but the second part definitely will. If you aren't a fan of the Venom/Spiderman pairing and all of its sub pairings, get off my property because this fic directly involves them. Thanks. :)
> 
> Feel free to picture Eddie and Peter as whoever you want. One note, I did make up Juniper Laboratories and the group "Alpha." It's stupid but just . . . don't use them because they're my ideas that will probably make an appearance in later stories of mine.

If there was one thing that Spiderman loved, it was patrolling the streets of New York City.

Absolutely nothing compared to the rush of the wind flowing through his hair and gliding over his suit. He could see everything as he swung between the buildings, the people below him and cars whizzing by becoming miniscule specs of existence. Sometimes, if he concentrated enough on his surroundings, he could close his eyes and allow his senses to be amplified. It was a thrilling experience.

Currently twenty years of age, Peter was working on finishing up his third year at ESU. He had gotten some upgrades to his suit, which he had been toying with as his studies progressed. He had come up with different combinations of webs for the spider silk, as well as improving the overall design of the costume. What hadn’t changed is that he was still working alone. 

Peter was in close relations with his Aunt May, and he wasn’t a _complete_ loner in class. He did have a few acquaintances, but none that he could really call friends. As far as relationships went, Peter was bone dry in that department. The closest relation he had with anyone in his life was Eddie.

Yes, Eddie Brock. Peter’s most infamous foe. Eddie and Peter had been at each other’s throat since the symbiote crawled into New York and bonded with the blonde man. As it turned out, Eddie didn’t hate Peter anymore, and apparently, neither did the symbiote. Of course, Peter was following the “forgive, don’t forget” policy, so the blonde was being given the benefit of the doubt, but Peter certainly didn’t pretend nothing had happened between them. Still, the two had managed to put their . . . differences and disagreements aside to call a truce. Two years later and he could consider calling Eddie a friend. They certainly acted like friends, though it was strange to call them such.

Peter had long since moved out of Aunt May’s house. The memories there threatened to suffocate him at times, and keeping his secret from May was too hard with her breathing down his neck. The guilt was threatening to eat him alive. So instead of wallowing in it, the young hero conjured up the money to buy a small apartment on the outskirts of the city. It was slightly quieter there, so the noise level wasn’t too bad.

The apartment itself was a bit dumpy in other words and relatively small. It had two bedrooms (an emergency in case something happened at May’s house), a small kitchen, two bathrooms, and a living room that was practically inside the kitchen. Peter didn’t mind, though. He liked having his own space without having to worry about anything other than the rent. He was still working for Jameson, and since the apartment wasn’t _too_ pricey he, he was able to afford it.

On certain nights, patrols were more tedious than anything else. And in some cases . . . they were filled with blind panic and terror. As Peter swung through the streets of Queens, he felt that sense of terror grip his chest and threaten to take control. 

He’d been lounging on a rooftop when the police radio he’d hijacked long ago suddenly went haywire. The confused hero had sat up and studied it, wondering what type of emergency he would be dealing with so late at night. Then again, crime knew no boundaries on the streets of NYC. Whether it was midnight, four in the morning, or dusk, there was bound to be something illegal taking place. At least, that was what Peter had uncovered in his time being Spiderman.

Tracking the signal of the police radio, Peter was able to detect that a massive police unit was heading to Juniper Laboratories, one of the smaller biotechnology institutions in NYC. Slipping on his mask and replacing his web-shooters, Peter allowed his Spiderman persona to take over. Instantly, he was on his way to the scene. 

He continued to listen to the police radio as he raced to get to Juniper Labs. The more he listened, the more afraid he became. Was there talk of . . . possible explosives? Spiderman had only dealt with a few threats of explosives in New York, all of which were diminished rather quickly thanks to his and the police units’ help. 

Forcing down his panic, the hero arrived at Juniper labs. He clung to the wall of the glass building, slowly crawling down the sides to find an inconspicuous location to enter. The strange thing was, he couldn’t hear any alarms blaring or see any police cars. Shaking his head at the odd occurrence, Spiderman attached two webs to the roof of the building and swung backwards, keeping his legs out in front of him. He hit the window at full force, shattering the glass. Sliding along the floor, he crouched into a defensive stance amid the fragments littering his feet. 

The first thing he noted was that not a single alarm had been set off upon his entry. Juniper Labs may have been one of the smaller biotech labs, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t heavily protected. The research there was valued just the same as any other biotech industry. If there were no alarms and no police units, what the heck was going on?

Perturbed, the hero began cautiously observing his surroundings. He had landed in an abandoned lab, which appeared to be in some sort of disarray. As scaled the room, he noticed that only the equipment remained intact. There was no sign of research taking place.

It was quite possible that he had landed in an unused part of the facility, or that all the items had been cleaned up and the research stored away. But something wasn’t adding up, and it only increased the coils of anxiety burying themselves in Spiderman’s stomach.

The police radio attached to his belt had gone silent. Every hair on his body standing at alert, the red and blue clad male waited on edge.

And waited.

_And waited._

Deciding that nothing was going to immediately jump out at him, he decided to explore the rest of the building. His spider-sense had yet to inform him that danger was nearby, so he allowed himself to leave the lab and venture to the left of the hallway before him. It seemed to stretch on for miles. 

The search for something out-of-the-ordinary continued for near to an hour. The building wasn’t large, but it wasn’t incredibly small either. Finally, the hero managed to locate a security room. Expecting it to be locked, Spiderman prepared to ram the door in. But to his surprise, it creaked open before he could.

Tense, he entered the room and scanned the scene before him. It was completely deserted. Frowning beneath his mask, he walked to one of the monitors and decided to take a look at the footage from the last hour. Maybe he could find something that would explain why a crime was falsely reported.

Searching through the latest footage, Spiderman noted many individuals on the night-shift working diligently in their labs. A few guards patrolled the hallways here and there, checking up on the scientists once in a while. Fast-forwarding, something caught his eye. At 10:56 exactly, a blinding flash filled the monitors, disrupting the view of the cameras. Gritting his teeth, he watched as unidentified individuals wearing high-tech suits came pouring in from every entrance; windows, doors, stairwells. The strangely-clothed creatures—he didn’t want to be too hopeful that they were human—were seemingly everywhere.

They knocked out the guards and had the labs cleared in seconds flat. The bodies were dragged somewhere off-camera, just as the screen went black and fuzzy. “Hey, what gives?” The hero attempted to bring the cameras back online, but to no avail. Everything suddenly went black, the sound of the power shutting off hit his sensitive ears.

The only sound in the room was Spiderman’s laboured breathing. He waited a few moments, planning his next move, before finally moving towards the door. 

It was too quiet.

With the electricity off, the steady hum in the building vanished. Red emergency lights flickered on, though they provided little illumination other than the space directly underneath them. Creeping out of the room, Spiderman stayed on high alert. Whoever was in the building had wanted him to come there. They must have. It was the only explanation that made sense. 

But . . . how?

 _They must have hacked my radio,_ he thought with a grimace. He didn’t think it was that easy to do, but considering what he saw on the monitors, he was having second thoughts. 

Suddenly, the emergency lights flickered. The back of Spiderman’s neck prickled, his spider-sense going crazy. Someone, more than likely multiple people, was watching him. Unable to pinpoint where the feeling originated from, he let his guard drop for a fraction of a second.

It was the wrong move.

Something swept him off his feet so quickly that he was unable to react properly. He groaned in pain when his back collided with the cold linoleum floor beneath him. With lightning speed, the hero jumped backwards and clung to the nearest wall, facing forward. The emergency lights flickered again, allowing him to see his attacker. Well, attackers.

There had to be a dozen of them. Maybe more. Okay, definitely more. They were surrounding every possible exit. From what he could see, they were all dressed in the same strange suit. It looked to be silver, made of some type of metal, with different compartments on it. A symbol was plastered to the arms and chest, proudly displayed. It was unfamiliar; a hexagon with a small atom structured in the middle. 

Spiderman was given no further time to react as multiple weapons were suddenly trained on him. They appeared to be guns, but they weren’t anything familiar to him. Who were these people and where had they gotten their futuristic materials from?

“Sorry, I’m not signing autographs today. Better luck next time.”

The quip that escaped the lips of the hero was mostly out of fear, but he tried his best to make sure his voice didn’t crack. The group of strange individuals didn’t respond to his humour well at all. A chorus of clicking noises meant that all the guns facing him were trigger-free and ready to shoot. Whatever it was that they did.

Trying to formulate a plan in his head, Spiderman attempted to buy time. “Who are you guys?” He didn’t expect an answer, of course. Surprisingly though, he received one.

“Alpha has ordered the capture of the spider,” one of the beings in the front spoke. “We must deliver.” The voice was robotic, disguised no doubt by a device in the suit. It sounded feminine, though. 

“Who is Alpha?” Spiderman questioned in confusion. Was it a new villain? An angry mob boss? Questions circled the hero’s mind.

Unfortunately, that proved the perfect distraction. The group to his left shot their weapons, releasing not bullets but a strange gas into the air. Holding his breath, he sprang into action. Jumping off the wall, Spiderman swung through the air, attaching his webs to the ceiling. More gunshots echoed, and this time actual bullets were being fired at the hero. Coughing beneath his mask, he struggled to keep his head clear. He had tried to hold his breath, but whatever was in the first set of guns was beginning to affect him. It was as if the substance was seeping into the holes in the fabric of his suit.

Something attached itself to his back. Gasping, a painful electric jolt was given to his shoulder. A cry left his mouth as he fell, his back once again cracking painfully on the floor. With a groan, he rolled over and noticed multiple pairs of boots rushing towards him. He quickly shot his webs to make a barrier between himself and the group of mercenaries. 

“I told you, no autographs today!” Struggling to his feet, the injured hero staggered down the hall. 

The device had yet to detach itself from his shoulder, and pulling at it seemed futile. It wouldn’t budge, and he couldn’t get a good enough angle to try harder. Gritting his teeth, he leaned against a wall and clutched his injured shoulder. The entire left side of his body had been fried, and it stung as if he’d been shot with a bolt of lightning. Gunshots sounded throughout the hall, meaning his web barricade was probably toast. With that thought in mind, he was on the move again.

After what seemed like miles of wall crawling and web swinging, Spiderman finally made it to an exit. He was nearly at the home stretch when his muscles suddenly gave out. He fell to the floor with a pained grunt. Pain coursed through his body, and it was then that he realised that the thing in his shoulder was delivering another wave of painful shocks. A strangled cry left his lips. Why couldn’t he move? It couldn’t have just been the device, it had to be whatever was released in the air. 

Heaving, the young hero rolled onto his stomach and tried to drag himself towards the door. Heavy pairs of boots thumped, and his spider-sense barely had enough time to warn him as more devices were shot at his back. Each one stung more than the last and delivered an unwelcome shock as it suctioned itself onto his skin.

What was wrong with him? He was getting his ass handed to him! Struggling to his feet, he attempted to ignore the intense pain in his body. It felt like every limb was on fire and shattering within him, all at the same time

Shooting his webs, he managed to pull a few guns away from the first few mercenaries and web them to the ceiling. But more kept pouring down the hallway. How many were there? Spiderman’s vision blurred, and he was beginning to see double. Pressing his side against the wall, he blinked rapidly to try and gain some clarity as the mercenaries moved closer. 

“Alpha will have their delivery,” a robotic voice spoke. 

“Like hell, they will,” Spiderman spat, quite literally, at their feet.

“That is no way to speak to your superiors.”

“My what? Excuse me!” He struggled to stand straight once more, getting into a weak defensive stance. “I will _not_ allow you to talk to me as if you’re royalty or something. And quit kicking me around! I’m fragile! Doesn’t your precious Alpha want me alive or something?”

“Stop wasting time and surrender to defeat.” They were closing in on him, and fast. The nearest exit had never looked so far away. As the devices on his back delivered another round of painful jolts, Spiderman did something he never thought he would do.

He dialled Eddie.

The hero’s suit wasn’t extremely advanced, but the upgrades he made included an emergency call system. All he had to do was utter a few words and his list of emergency contacts could be contacted.

With that in mind, the hero muttered, “Activate emergency call: Eddie Brock.”

A buzz went off, telling him that Eddie was being contacted. He didn’t know why he had called the blonde, but some part of him hoped that Eddie and his symbiote would be willing to come to his rescue. It would be the ultimate test of their friendship for sure.

If not . . . Alpha would be getting their delivery, sooner rather than later.

*** * ***

Eddie Brock was an incredibly patient man. Or at least, he considered himself to be so when his Other wasn’t at the front of his mind. So when he received a call from none other than Peter Parker at midnight, he willed himself to be calm and rational.

It had taken a lot of reflecting to realise that the symbiote didn’t hate Peter anymore. In fact, the Other expressed that it quite liked its new host. Eddie realised that he technically didn’t hate Peter, either. Working for the Daily Globe certainly wasn’t bad, considering he was compensated more generously and he didn’t have much competition there. His work was valued, making him feel bad for Peter, who was always berated for his work. 

So, on a particularly cold night, Eddie and his symbiote had cornered the young spider in an alleyway. Blocking his means of escape, they had attempted to reason with him. It had taken an incredibly long time, and Eddie still wasn’t sure that Peter completely trusted him yet. But he was confident that he could call Peter a friend. One day . . . Eddie almost hoped that he could call him more than that. 

It wasn’t his fault that the young man was extremely attractive. He ran around the city in red and blue tights that left little to the imagination. Every curve of his body was hugged in just the right way and publicly displayed. Peter seemed oblivious to Eddie’s conflicting emotions, which was definitely a good thing. His Other seemed to want to court him, attempting to understand what it referred to as, “human mating rituals.” But he couldn’t make any advances towards Peter without fearing that he would scare him away.

Eddie was snapped back into reality by the urgent ringing of his phone. The only reason Peter would be contacting him at this hour would be if there was an emergency. Sliding the answer button on his cell, Eddie took a deep breath before speaking into the mic.

“This better be good, Parker,” he said in what he hoped wasn’t a threatening tone.

Instead of receiving an immediate verbal response as he’d expected, there were only the sounds of shuffling and what seemed like . . . gunshots? 

“Pete?” Eddie’s tone changed instantly to one of concern. “What’s going on?”

“Eddie,” Peter’s breathless voice finally croaked. “Please help me—”

“Where are you? What’s going on?” He knew this wasn’t a prank. Peter wasn’t like that at all. His Other stirred in agreement. Something was wrong. 

“I-I . . . T-They tricked me. Trapped me.” More gunshots echoed afterwards, including a hiss of pain from the hero.

“Who trapped you? Where?” Eddie climbed out of bed, pacing in his master bedroom with the phone clutched tightly to his ear.

“M-Mercenaries at Juniper Labs. They work for someone called Alpha. I think it’s a company of some sorts.” The hero had managed to begin swinging away again due to the devices on his back becoming dormant for the time being. “They must have hacked my radio and lured me here with a fake emergency.”

“Well, what do they want?” Eddie demanded as if Peter knew.

“They said they have to ‘deliver’ me to Alpha.” Landing upside-down on the ceiling, he could see enough of the hallway to know if they were coming. If only he would stop seeing triple, and it wasn’t so dark.

“Alive, or . . .”

“I thought alive, but I’m beginning to second guess myself . . .” he trailed off. 

“Can you get to a safe place?” Eddie asked stupidly.

“. . .”

“Sorry, dumb question. Just hang tight . . . no pun intended, and we’ll be there. What building is it?” Eddie could feel the inky tendrils belonging to his Other begin to roll over his partially-clothed body.

“It’s all one building, I don’t know which wing I’m in. There should be a shattered window, that’s the entrance I came from.” Gunshots sounded, and Peter let out a strangled cry. “Shit,” he hissed, a loud thump sounding.

“Pete? Peter?” Eddie asked worriedly, the symbiote covering everything but his face.

“They’re coming,” he whispered. “They shot me with these . . . these _things_ that keep shocking me, and some weird gas. I-I can’t move,” he whimpered.

Eddie’s heart constricted in his chest at the amount of fear in Peter’s voice. “It’s going to be alright, we’ll be right there. Don’t give up, okay?” he attempted to soothe the hero.

“Okay,” Peter whispered, and then the line went dead.

“Shit,” Eddie cursed, allowing the symbiote to completely take over. He swung out of his apartment window, the only thought in his mind being one of murder and revenge.

*** * ***

They had begun _chanting_ , and Peter was starting to get desperate.

In a haze, he had torn off his mask, trying to take in the sweet oxygen his body felt deprived of. At the moment, he wasn’t concerned about his identity. He couldn’t breathe. His chest was constricted, every muscle in his body taut. It was hard to move, and his lungs felt like they were collapsing in his chest. Everything hurt. All he felt was pain.

“Y-You guys are acting like a cult, now,” Peter stuttered, his head smacking against the wall he was slumped in front of. 

The mercenaries only pressed closer, until they had him completely surrounded. Guns were trained above him, so if he tried to swing away he could end up getting shot multiple times. Perhaps under normal circumstances, he would manage to get away with only a few wounds, but he was feeling extremely weak and tired. His advanced healing had yet to kick in, and his body was sleep-deprived. 

A nap sounded amazing.

He could feel his eyes beginning to close. Just one little nap wouldn’t hurt . . .

A loud crash jolted him from his attempted slumber. From lidded eyes, Peter watched as a blurry mass began knocking the mercenaries left and right. Preoccupied with containing it, it seemed as if they’d forgotten about him. Blinking rapidly, he forced the grogginess away and tried to take in the scene as best he could. His vision was doubled instead of tripled, so it was somewhat of an improvement. 

Peter’s eyes lit up when he finally was able to clearly depict his saviour. Eddie stood tall in the dimly light hallway, bathed in the red emergency lights and covered in the symbiote. Peter didn’t think he’d ever been happier to see Venom in all his life.

Deciding he’d use the opportunity as a distraction, Peter staggered to his feet. His suit was torn in the back where the metal devices were still implanted in his skin, no doubt waiting to fry his flesh again, but otherwise, it was still functional. Tucking his mask into his waist, the hero climbed up the wall and used it as leverage to propel himself forward, he swung down the right hallway, safely away from the scene.

The problem was, he wasn’t strong enough to sustain web-swinging for a long period of time. So he gave up swinging in an effort to conserve his strength and crawled quickly along the ceiling instead. When he saw the emergency exit sign, he felt like weeping for joy. Landing painfully on the ground, Peter limped through the doorway and collapsed in the stairwell. 

He had to get up, but the ground was too comfortable. Letting out a sigh, he slowly closed his eyes as his body began to relax. He didn’t even notice a blurry figure coming to stand over him as he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.


	2. Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter wakes up in an apartment that's definitely not his own, and relies on Eddie and Venom to explain everything to him. His wounds are treated with utmost delicacy and care, and some hidden feelings may or may not come to light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I keep changing the tags for this omg. Anyways, I wrote this part at midnight every day for like a week, so don't expect it to be perfect. I do appreciate all the sweet comments on the first part, though! I hope I didn't disappoint. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Peter awoke with a start, his chest heaving in panic. His eyes wildly darted around the room. Squinting in the darkness, he realised that he couldn’t see anything at all. Where was he? Why was it so dark? Was he captured by Alpha and the mercenaries? As fear grew in a pit in the young hero’s stomach, he realised that he was lying on a bed. Alpha certainly wouldn’t have been so kind as to provide him with a warm, soft bed to sleep on. It didn’t feel like the bed in his apartment. So where was he?

A shuffling sound in the dark startled him. Springing out of the bed, Peter clung to the wall behind him and watched the darkness with wide, terrified eyes. A sudden intense pain in his back made him cry out. It was then that he remembered Alpha’s damage. They had shot him, but he’d gotten away . . . And Eddie had saved him. Well, Venom had he assumed.

Was he in Eddie’s apartment? The hero swallowed nervously. He was still in his damaged spider suit, and he could feel the devices clinging to his back. Every bone in his body stung as if it was broken. A pained gasp left his lips, then suddenly something touched his leg. 

“Pete, it’s just us,” Eddie’s voice said softly. “You can relax now.”

Peter hadn’t realised he had tensed up. Releasing the breath he didn’t know he was holding, he allowed his body to relax slightly.

“You can come down now,” Eddie coaxed him. “We promise it’s safe.”

“Are they gone?” Peter whispered, fear still crawling along his spine. He refused to move from his position.

“They’re gone,” Eddie reassured him.

“Did you . . .” Peter trailed off nervously.

“Did we what?” Eddie asked gently.

“Did you kill them?” Peter swallowed thickly.

“That’s not important. What matters is that they won’t be bothering you ever again,” Eddie said sternly.

“They were people, Eddie! You can’t just kill them!” His voice was beginning to sound hysterical.

The last thing the blonde wanted to do was scare Peter or trigger a panic attack. With that in mind, he and his Other worked on a gentler approach. “Please come down, Peter. We promise you’re safe here.”

Peter knew that Eddie could have easily plucked him from the wall if he wanted to, thus he admired his patience. Taking a deep breath, Peter slowly detached himself from the wall and landed on the soft bed. “Sorry, a nervous habit,” he said quietly.

“It’s okay,” Eddie consoled him. “You’re probably wondering where you are, and what happened,” he supplied. Seeing Peter nod, he explained. “When we found you, you were unconscious in the stairwell. We brought you here, to my apartment, because we didn’t know what else to do. God, you looked awful. I’m surprised you’re even conscious right now.”

“It’s probably my fast healing,” Peter said, his voice still quiet, almost timid. 

“It won’t work with those things still in your back,” Eddie said with a frown. “Come here and we’ll try to get them out of you.”

Peter inched away from the sound of Eddie’s voice. “C-Can you turn the light on first?”

“I . . . don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” Peter demanded. Was Eddie hiding something from him? His paranoia was only getting worse.

“Peter,” Eddie said incredulously. “You could still have some of those toxins in your system. Who knows what they did to your senses. We don’t want to trigger anything. That’s why we turned the lights off and left you alone.”

Eddie did have a point. Squeezing his eyes shut, Peter tried to ease the trembling in his body. Eddie had saved him. He was there to help. So why the hell was he so paranoid?

“Pete,” Eddie said softly. “It’s okay. We’re going to help. We can get those things out of your back and then treat your wounds. Then you can get cleaned up and put on some fresh clothes. But we can’t do that unless you let us. Will you let us help you?”

Though Peter did trust Eddie a lot more than in the past, he was still wary of him as a precaution. He was only doing it to protect himself. Eddie had saved him, but the thought of being in a dark, unfamiliar room with him where his senses were going haywire . . . What if the symbiote was hiding dark feelings towards him? What if saving him was all an act? What if—

“Peter!” Eddie’s hands were on his shoulders, gently shaking him but being careful not to aggravate his injuries. “Snap out of it!”

Peter flinched back. “I-I . . .”

“I told you we’re here to help. What’s wrong? Why don’t you trust us?” He sounded hurt.

Guilt filled Peter’s chest. “I . . . I’m embarrassed,” he finally admitted, shame turning his face red. 

“For God’s sake Pete, why?” 

“Because I asked you to come and save me!” Peter suddenly yelled. He covered his face with his hands. “I was completely defenceless. I got my ass kicked! I’m supposed to be a _hero._ What kind of hero am I if I can’t even save myself?”

The tone of Peter’s voice broke Eddie’s heart, and it touched his Other as well. He sounded so dejected . . . like he truly felt worthless. “You’re a damn good hero,” Eddie insisted sternly. “You just needed a little help, that’s all.” When he received silence as a reply he continued. “Listen to me. What happened wasn’t your fault.”

“I walked right into their trap,” Peter whispered. 

“You didn’t know,” Eddie argued. “What matters is that you’re safe now and I’m _never_ letting them hurt you again.” He heard sniffling then, and with a heavy heart, he realised that the hero was crying. “Peter . . . no,” Eddie murmured, reaching out to carefully hold him. “You’re safe now, and you’re not a bad hero. Okay? You’re okay.”

He gave Peter a moment to quiet his sobs. When the hero finally stopped crying and was reduced to sniffling, he pulled back and stared at the blurry features of Eddie’s face in the dark. 

“Will you let us help you now?” Eddie asked softly.

“Just . . . be careful, please,” Peter whispered. “It hurts.”

“I know,” Eddie soothed, rubbing Peter’s arm. “We’ll be gentle. But you’ll have to take your suit off and face your back to us, or we won’t be able to get those things out of your back.”

“O-Okay,” Peter mumbled, beginning to slowly remove the top of his suit. Once he was in his boxer briefs, he tossed his suit to the side carelessly. It was pretty much ruined anyway. Facing his back to Eddie, he tried to put his trust in him. He hoped that Eddie was able to remove the devices and that it wouldn’t hurt too much.

Eddie’s gentle hands brushed over his left shoulder, and Peter braced himself for the pain. Feeling around the first device, the older man found that it had embedded itself in Peter’s flesh. If he couldn’t find a way to easily remove it, there would be a whole lot of blood and pain. 

“They can no longer control these,” Eddie murmured. “Meaning there has to be some sort of release point on here somewhere.” 

“I hope so,” Peter said quietly. “Please be careful,” he begged once more.

“I know, Pete. We will.” 

Eddie couldn’t be mad at Peter for being scared. He had a million metal devices wedged in his back that had delivered painful electric shocks. The skin around the devices was red and irritated. Pressing on the middle of the first device proved useless. Frowning, Eddie tried again, this time lightly squeezing the sides of the device. Giving a small tug, he heard Peter wince in pain. 

“Sorry, sorry,” he apologised. “This is going to feel uncomfortable, but I think we’ve got it.” Another tug and the device made a small hissing sound, popping off into his hand. Peter let out a sigh of relief, rolling his shoulder back. “One down, a thousand more to go,” Eddie said with a sigh. At least he had gotten one off and knew how to remove the rest.

After more tugs and pained gasps from Peter, all of the metal devices were in a pile at the foot of the bed. Eddie took a moment to inspect the damage. Peter’s back was full of red welts where the devices had previously been wedged in his skin. His hand ghosted over the marks, and he tried to contain the growl that rumbled in his chest. He was _pissed._ His other was definitely pissed, too. 

“Is it bad?” There was clearly pain in Peter’s voice. He sounded vulnerable and downright exhausted as well.

“It doesn’t look good,” Eddie said grimly. “I think I know how to make it better, though.”

He stood up, leaving Peter on the bed to head to the bathroom. He gathered a washcloth and bucket of water, bandage rolls, and a cooling gel for burn wounds. When he arrived back in his bedroom, he found Peter with his head in his hands. 

“We’re going to make it better,” he promised the hero. “You can relax your muscles.”

“What are you going to do?” Peter pressed, trying to turn around to squint at Eddie in the darkness. 

“Relax,” Eddie said, gently turning Peter’s head to face forward once more. “We’re going to take care of you.”

Silence fell over the two as Eddie gently dipped the washcloth in the dish of water, then began pressing the warm cloth on Peter’s injuries. He flinched noticeably at first, but as Eddie continued the gentle compresses he could feel Peter start to relax. 

“Does that feel any better?” Eddie asked softly as he continued to run the warm cloth over Peter’s skin. 

“Yes,” Peter sighed, the previous tension seemingly leaving his body. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Eddie grabbed a soft towel and used it to pat Peter’s back dry. He then took the tube of cooling gel and squirted some on his hands. “Keep your muscles relaxed. I’m going to try something that I think will help.”

“Okay,” Peter said apprehensively, though he did sound less suspicious and more relaxed than before.

Satisfied that he had Peter’s approval, Eddie began to gently massage the gel onto Peter’s back. He could feel Peter shudder until the light pressure of his hands. “It’s okay,” he reassured the hero. “You’re okay.”

Bit by bit, tension left Peter’s shoulders. At that point, he was so relaxed that he was holding back moans. Eddie’s hands were caressing his muscles in the best way, nearly reducing him to a puddle. He shuddered under Eddie’s grasp, feeling as if his hands were working magic on the wounds.

“Does this feel okay?” Eddie asked, bringing Peter out of his haze.

“Y-Yes,” Peter said breathlessly. “God, yes.” Peter could feel Eddie’s chuckle behind him, causing his cheeks to warm. 

“No need to be embarrassed, little spider,” Eddie said teasingly. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against the shell of Peter’s ear. “We quite like that we’re able to get this reaction out of you with our hands alone.”

The implications in Eddie’s word choice didn’t go unnoticed by Peter. The warmth in his cheeks only worsened. “Eddie,” Peter hissed, wishing the heat plaguing his face would leave. 

“We’re just being honest.” Eddie’s hands moved to Peter’s shoulders, gently massaging there. 

At Eddie’s change in action, a soft moan escaped Peter’s lips. The hero’s face warmed, and he jerked away from Eddie’s touch in embarrassment. “S-Sorry,” he stuttered, covering his face with his hands in an effort to hide from the blonde.

“Peter.” Eddie’s hands gently pull Peter’s away from his face. “It’s okay,” he reassures him softly. “We just wanted to help you feel better, and that tells us that it’s working. It is working, right?” Eddie clarified worriedly.

“Yes,” Peter whispered after a moment’s hesitation. 

“Good, that’s what we wanted.” Eddie wrapped an arm around Peter, gently hugging his side. “I know you heal fast, but we should bandage the wounds. Is that okay?”

Peter nodded, still thoroughly embarrassed. Eddie grabbed the bandages, beginning to wrap Peter’s wounds gently.

Once they were secured, he asked, “Do you want to lie down and try to get some rest? We can get some pain meds for you as well, that might help.”

Peter didn’t say anything for a moment. After a long pause, Peter surprised both Eddie and his Other by throwing his arms around him in a hug. “Thank you,” Peter croaked, his tears wetting Eddie’s shirt. “If you hadn't come to save me, I . . .” he trailed off, the implication of his words clear. 

“Sh,” Eddie shushed him gently. “Let’s not talk about that. You’re here, you’re safe, and we’re never letting anything happen to you ever again.” He wrapped his arms around Peter, comforting him. “You’re safe.”

Once Peter’s sobs quieted, he pulled back to rub at his eyes. “C-Can I get some clothes?” he asked shyly. 

Eddie raised a brow. “Aw, but we were enjoying the view.”

“Eddie!” Peter blushed. “I’m cold. I need clothes.”

“Fine,” Eddie drawled out with an exaggerated sigh. “Do you want the pain meds and something to drink as well?” he offered.

“Yes please,” Peter said gratefully, scrubbing the remaining tears from his eyes.

“Okay.” Eddie gave Peter’s leg a gentle pat. “Wait here and we’ll be right back.”

Eddie disappeared to get the meds for Peter, leaving the spider alone with his thoughts. Peter rubbed his face with his hands tiredly, feeling utterly worn out from the events of the night. He heaved an exhausted sigh, trying not to break down crying again. He felt the bed dip next to him a few moments later.

“Pete?” Eddie’s voice called gently, pulling Peter away from his thoughts.

“I’m okay,” Peter sighed, looking up at Eddie. He took the water and meds that Eddie handed him. “Thank you,” he said with a small smile that caused Eddie’s heart to skip a beat.

Eddie swallowed thickly as he placed a set of his clothes on the bed, eyes trained on Peter’s lips. Due to his bonding with Venom, Eddie shared some of the perks that the symbiote had, one of which was a more advanced vision in the dark. Eddie could clearly see the outline of Peter’s pouted lips, the furrow in his brown, the frown lines on his face. He wanted nothing more than to ease the tension he and Venom could sense there.

Peter took the pills and downed the entire glass of water. Though it was dark in the room, he could feel Eddie’s gaze on him. “W-What is it?” he asked self-consciously, wrapping his arms around himself.

“Nothing,” Eddie said quietly. “I—We—Are just really glad that you’re here. That you’re okay.”

Peter knew that there was more Eddie wanted to say, but he didn’t want to push him. “Me too,” he replied, giving him another small smile. 

Eddie watched with a hungry, predatory gaze as Peter stretched, taking in every ripple of muscle that he could see. He noticed the small wince that left the hero’s mouth, and his gaze hardened. 

“You’re still hurting,” Eddie supplied, narrowed eyes boring into the back of Peter’s head. 

Peter turned, shaking his head. “No, I’m not. I’m fine.”

“We can smell your pain,” Eddie nearly snarled, his eyes turning a milky white. 

Though Peter couldn’t see it, he could hear it in Eddie’s voice that Venom was close to the surface. “Please, Eddie . . . Venom. I’m fine,” Peter nearly begged. He wanted nothing more than to let the bed swallow him whole. He had enough humiliation already for the day. 

Eddie snarled, and that was the only warning Peter received as milky white eyes suddenly surfaced in the dark room. Flinching back, a noise of alarm escaped Peter’s mouth. 

_**“Spider,”**_ Venom hissed, looming over Peter’s body. 

Peter cowered away, squeezing his eyes shut so he didn’t have to stare at the symbiote. “I-I’m fine,” he stuttered stubbornly. 

**_“You are in pain,”_** Venom growled. **_“You are not fine!”_**

Peter kept his eyes closed so Venom wouldn’t see the tears collecting underneath his lids. God, why was he so emotionally scarred? It was _one_ incident and all of the sudden it was like he lost all his confidence. Absorbed in his thoughts, Peter didn’t notice that Venom had gotten closer. When he finally opened his eyes, he let out an embarrassingly girly squeak upon noticing their close proximity. 

One of the symbiote's talons tenderly brushed a tear from Peter’s cheek. Blinking rapidly, Peter finally met Venom’s gaze. _**“Oh, little spider,”**_ Venom purred, watching as Peter slowly tilted his head into the gentle touch, **_“You are safe now.”_**

Peter took a moment to calm his irregular heartbeat, taking a few deep breaths. “I thanked Eddie but I never properly thanked you,” he muttered shyly when he’d calmed down some, kissing the inside of Venom’s wrist. “Thank you. I’d be lying out cold in some laboratory right now if you hadn’t helped Eddie rescue me.”

 ** _“We will always be here for you,”_** Venom promised. **_“We are sorry that we scared you. We could smell your pain and fear and we got angry.”_** He paused for a moment, tilting his head. It appeared that Eddie was talking to him. **_“Our host wishes to help you more. Do not refuse,”_** Venom warned, but there was no real threat in his deep voice. 

Peter nodded, trying to quell the embarrassment inside by convincing himself that he needed their help. The pain meds had yet to kick in, and he was sure whatever Eddie had planned for him would be to his benefit in the end.

The inky tendrils of the symbiote melted away to reveal Eddie beneath. “Stubborn spider,” Eddie said with a teasing lit. “Come here.” Peter did as he was told, shuffling closer to Eddie. The blonde began gently massaging Peter’s shoulders, working the knots out of him with ease. “Just relax, you can rest now.”

Peter mumbled a small, “Thank you,” as he forced himself to relax. 

“Of course,” Eddie purred, and Peter was certain that Venom hadn’t completely given up control. 

Peter was reduced to a moaning mess under Eddie’s hands, his face a bright red. He closed his eyes to lessen the embarrassment, but it did little to calm the redness in his face. 

Eddie made no comment through it all, but if there was any light in the room Peter would have been able to see that Eddie’s eyes were nearly black with lust. He knew his boundaries though, so he forced his Other to stay calm while he worked through the effects of Peter’s injuries.

Finally, Eddie forced himself to pull away, convinced that he wouldn’t be able to control Venom any longer. “Does that feel better?”

“Much better, thank you,” Peter said gratefully. “I probably won’t be a functional human for a while, though,” he said with a laugh.

“That’s understandable. You need to remember to give yourself time to heal,” Eddie reminded him firmly.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll heal quicker than normal people will, though.”

“That doesn’t matter. Give yourself time to heal.” A demanding tone replaced the understanding one, and Peter shivered. 

“Okay,” he finally agreed, realising that he didn’t want to accidentally provoke Venom again.

“Good spider,” Eddie gave his hair a fond ruffle. 

Peter, who normally would scowl and pull away, found himself leaning into the touch. It was comforting, in an odd way. Being in the room with two . . . beings that he knew would protect him.

“Thank you for helping me,” Peter said quietly. “I don’t know what I would have done . . .”

“Let’s not think about that,” Eddie interrupted, not wanting to think about losing one of the most important people in his life. “Why don’t you get some rest? You seem exhausted.”

“I would really like that,” Peter said in relief. “Is there a couch that I can . . .?”

“The bed will be just fine for you,” Eddie cut him off. “We can take the couch.”

“I’m not letting you do that,” Peter said with a frown. “You’ll be so uncomfortable.”

Eddie shrugged. “Our couch is surprisingly comfortable. We’ll be fine, Peter. Don’t worry about it.”

Peter hesitated but realised that Eddie and Venom were just as stubborn as himself. “Fine,” he begrudgingly agreed.

“There are clothes right here for you,” Eddie patted the pile he had set behind them. “If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to ask us.”

“Pervert,” Peter said teasingly. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Only trying to help, babe,” Eddie winked, and Peter’s heart _should not_ have flipped the way that it did.

“Whatever,” the hero huffed. 

Eddie stood up to leave the room. “Sleep well, Peter.” The blonde forced himself to leave Peter be, knowing that he and Venom would be able to sense if the hero was in danger. 

That left Peter to his own devices. Getting Eddie’s sweatpants on wasn’t too difficult though he had to tie them a few extra times and roll them up a bit due to their vast difference in size. The shirt was more of a struggle than anything else, due to the majority of his injuries being concentrated on his back.

Finally, Peter decided that sleeping without a shirt on was probably the best option. Folding the shirt, Peter intended on setting it to the side, but the smell of Eddie’s cologne wafted up to his nose. He found himself pressing his nose into the fabric until he realised how creepy it was. Blushing even though he hadn’t been caught, the hero slipped into the comfortable bed and snuggled Eddie’s shirt close to his chest. He tried to convince himself that he just really needed something to hold, but the truth was that the scent made him feel safe.

He slipped into a state of sleep tainted with nightmares.

*** * ***

Eddie awoke from his slumber with a start. Sitting up on the couch and breathing heavily, he tried to think of what could have jerked him out of such a deep sleep. He then became aware of the alien prodding at his brain.

“Why did you wake me up?” Eddie asked in annoyance and confusion, running a hand over his face tiredly. A quick glance at the digital clock on his table revealed to him that it was past four in the morning. “Fantastic,” he muttered grumpily.

 ** _“Check on Peter,”_** the alien retorted. **_“We have a bad feeling.”_**

“What do you mean, you have a ‘bad feeling?’” Eddie asked in alarm. “Is he in danger?”

 ** _“Check!”_** Venom hissed. 

Eddie jumped to his feet and raced to his bedroom. Sure enough, Peter was stirring restlessly in the bed, mumbling things to himself. Moving closer, Eddie was about to shake Peter to wake him up when he noticed something clutched tightly in Peter’s arms. 

His t-shirt. The one he had given Peter.

His heart skipped a beat in his chest, and the symbiote let out a possessive purr in the back of his mind. Eddie’s eyes were trained on the expression of terror on Peter’s face, watching as he pulled the t-shirt closer and sighed into it. Some of the tension seemed to leave his body. Was the smell of his shirt calming Peter down?

Eddie gently perched on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through Peter’s hair. Their little spider unconsciously nuzzled his face closer to Eddie’s hand, a soft sound emitting from his throat. 

Suddenly, Peter’s eyes opened, and he bolted upright. There was a look of panic on his face, so Eddie quickly worked on calming him down. 

“It’s me, it’s me,” Eddie reassured him. “You seemed like you were having unpleasant dreams,” he said hesitantly. “It was Venom’s idea to check on you.” Surely Peter would understand that the symbiote was territorial as hell.

“Oh . . .” Peter mumbled, still seeming disoriented. He blinked rapidly, reaching for Eddie. 

“I’m right here,” Eddie said softly, carefully wrapping his arms around Peter. 

Peter buried his face in Eddie’s chest, inhaling deeply. “I w-was in a lab . . . All these people were staring at me.”

“It was just a dream. You’re perfectly safe here with us.” Eddie rested his chin on Peter’s head and held him close until the hero’s breathing returned to normal. 

“Will you stay in here with me?” Peter mumbled into Eddie’s chest. “I-I don’t want to be alone.”

“Are you sure you won’t be uncomfortable with that?” Eddie asked hesitantly. Venom was extremely touchy-feely, so there was no doubt in Eddie’s mind that the symbiote was planning on smothering Peter. 

“Please,” Peter begged. “Please stay.”

“Okay, okay,” Eddie soothed, smoothing down Peter’s hair. He gently laid Peter down. Staring at the hero below them, Eddie’s mouth went dry. Even dishevelled Peter still managed to look so good . . .

“Eddie?” Peter asked in a small voice, looking up at him with eyes full of trust and gratitude. 

Eddie swallowed thickly and laid down next to Peter. Peter’s bare skin brushed Eddie’s clothed hip, scalding it with the warm touch. “Sorry,” he breathed. 

“What’s wrong?” Peter whispered. “You keep seeming like you’re holding something back . . .”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about,” Eddie attempted. “Just something that’s been sitting in the back of my mind for a while.”

“Okay.” A moment of silence prevailed. Then the bed shifted as Peter turned to face him. “Thank you for helping me so much. You’re my best friend, Eddie. And I love you.”

Regardless if Peter meant it in a friendly light or not, Eddie and his symbiote couldn’t care less. In three seconds flat, Eddie’s lips were pressed against Peter’s, surprising absolutely no one.

Peter let out a small noise before his lips melted into Eddie’s. Thoughts laced with confusion swirled around in both of their minds, being picked up by Venom. But neither ceased the movement of their lips against each other, revelling in the sensations of the moment. Every sense in both of their bodies was amplified. It felt as if there was a current of electricity connecting their bodies, no doubt due to the alien being bonded to Eddie. 

One of Eddie’s hands propped himself up so that he was hovering over Peter, the other rested on Peter’s chest. Peter’s trembling hands reached up to grip Eddie’s biceps, shuddering into the kiss.

Finally, Eddie pulled away, in fear that Venom would try to get involved. He had already overstepped his boundaries and he didn’t want to make anything worse. Eddie studied Peter below him, who was dazed and panting.

”Okay,” Peter said dumbly, not consciously aware of what he was saying at that moment. “That works.”

Eddie closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath, suddenly aware of what he’d just done. “I’m so sorry, Pete. I don’t know what came over me—”

“It’s okay,” Peter said softly, his hand reaching up to caress the side of Eddie’s face. “I didn’t mind, trust me. I-I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to do it again . . . b-but you know,” he stuttered, blushing. “It’s like four a.m. and I’m both mentally and physically exhausted.”

“Fair enough,” Eddie laughed in relief, grateful that Peter wasn’t pissed at him. “Get some rest.” 

They had a lot to discuss later on, but they would cross that bridge when they got there. At that moment, Eddie was perfectly content with cuddling the injured spider in his arms, making him feel safe and protected. The two of them finally fell asleep, holding onto each other as if they were their anchor in the darkness. 

Peter didn’t have another nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. IMPORTANT: Would any of you be interested in a small third part that's kind of an epilogue? Like a fast-forward to a few years in the future. If you are, please let me know! If not, I won't be offended. 
> 
>  
> 
> _Also if anyone wants to find me a handsome man to give me an amazing massage, I'm all for it._
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways, comments and kudos are much appreciated. Thanks for reading! <3


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas in NYC is truly beautiful, especially if it's shared between two lovers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Gosh, I'm so sorry it's taken me a while to get back to this story. I've been in a really bad place financially so all of my time has gone into trying to find ways to make money. I live 2 hours away from my family so my phone is my only means of contact with them, and I'm having issues with it so I need to replace it soon. I'm also trying to pay for tuition. My dad already said he can't help me anymore. I know I'm not allowed to mention the forbidden "c-0-m-m-1-s-s-1-0-n" word here so I won't even bother. But if you like my work, please visit [here](https://ko-fi.com/K3K4C625#). I really, really, really need some help.
> 
> Anyways, this will be a short and sweet epilogue. I hope you don't mind. I'm not really into the background I gave for this story anymore because lately, I've been writing with Venom and Homecoming as background. :( Anyways I hope you enjoy despite the long wait.

Snow fell from the sky in gentle flurries, the flakes clinging to anything and everything in sight. Trees became icy shadows, sidewalks became snowbanks. Cheerful holiday melodies floated through the air from nearby stores along the streets of New York City. 

Peter nearly skipped down the sidewalk, dragging his boyfriend behind him. “Come on, come on! You’re so slow,” Peter whined, tugging on the hand tightly clutched in his own.

“Maybe you’re walking too fast,” Eddie said teasingly. He and his Other both knew how excited the season made Peter. The hero was itching to show Eddie the Christmas tree he’d found.

Neither Peter or Eddie were particularly religious, but they did appreciate the joy that the Christmas season had to bring. Peter seemed to love it the most. He absolutely adored the holidays. The snow, the decorations, the music . . . It was always a time when he felt the most relaxed. He couldn’t have been more excited to share his first Christmas with his boyfriend.

It turned out that Peter was harbouring the same hidden feelings that Eddie was. Once the two had finally worked up enough courage to confess, they were able to move onto the next phase in their relationship. After six months of dating, a septic issue in Peter’s apartment caused him to move in with Eddie for the time being. It was soon in their relationship, but Peter didn’t want to start looking for another apartment yet and he didn’t want to bother his Aunt May. Thus, Eddie had offered for Peter to stay with him until he could figure out other living arrangements. Not that the two minded being together all of the time, it was quite the opposite. But neither wanted to push their new relationship too much in the beginning.

Patrolling was extremely hard for both of them. Peter’s morals clashed with Eddie and his Other’s. Granted, the symbiote didn’t necessarily have morals, but Eddie was at least helping it develop some. Peter believed that even the worst of the worst deserved to live, whereas Eddie and Venom saw them as the perfect snack. The two tried not to discuss the issue of their ethics too often, because it would only lead to fighting. Peter stayed in his corner, webbing all the baddies to the police station. Eddie and Venom stayed in their corner, enjoying the souls of the rotten. 

“In here!” Peter said eagerly, moving behind Eddie so he could shove him towards the shop’s door. 

Eddie’s laughter echoed throughout the quaint shop as the two lovers passed the entryway. The entire place was decked out for the holidays; colourful string lights, ornaments strung here and there, trees standing at every corner, and more. Pure joy was all Eddie and Venom could see on Peter’s face as they slipped into the room with the most Christmas trees. Peter proudly presented his favourite tree to Eddie.

“What do you think?” he asked, bouncing on his heels. He fixed Eddie with a hopeful, expectant gaze.

“It’s _almost_ as cute as you,” Eddie said fondly, watching as Peter blushed and pouted in response. 

“I am _not_ cute,” Peter grumbled, crossing his arms in annoyance. “Do you like the tree?” he asked hopefully.

Eddie studied Peter’s expression then turned his attention back to the tree in front of them. It was a medium-sized tree, definitely a lot taller than Peter and only about half a foot taller than himself. The leaves were a dark green, resembling a real tree. Warm lights were strung around the branches. With the proper decorations, it would look amazing in their apartment. 

_Their_ apartment. Eddie hoped that Peter would call it theirs one day.

“I think it would look great back home,” Eddie said, watching Peter beam at him.

And that was how they ended up carrying a Christmas tree home.

*** * ***

“Babe, can you hand me another string of lights?”

Peter stood on his tiptoes, brushing some fake holly berries along a shelf. Eddie came up behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist. 

“You’re so short,” the blonde said teasingly, pressing a kiss to Peter’s temple. He handed his little spider the string of lights he’d asked for.

“I’m not short!” Peter huffed, snatching the lights. 

“Oh yeah? Let me watch you get those up there then,” Eddie said with a smirk. “Without a step stool.”

Peter flushed. “I can reach just fine!” To try and prove his point, he reached up as far as he could. 

He fell short. By a lot. 

Eddie’s laughter reached his ears, and he huffed in embarrassment. “I know what to do,” he snapped, climbing up the wall. He used one hand to lay the lights along the shelf while the other kept himself steady. He stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend.

“Cheater,” Eddie smirked. “You still didn’t prove to me that you aren’t short since you still needed a boost.”

Peter hopped off of the wall. “I still got them up,” he sassed back.

“Whatever you say, darling.” Eddie yanked Peter closer to him and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Shortie,” he murmured, allowing Peter to push him away in annoyance.

By the time the two finished their decorating, it was much later. They had been watching a holiday movie, something cheesy. One of those typical ones where the girl and the guy are snowed-in some romantic log cabin on Christmas Eve and end up falling in love. Peter made comments throughout the entire movie, entertaining his boyfriend quite well. But the hero was exhausted and had drifted to sleep, resting his head in Eddie’s lap.

Eddie stared down at the hero, running a hand lazily through his hair. Fondness spread through his chest, shared by both he and the symbiote. 

**_We must protect him, Eddie. Always._ **

Eddie smiled, brushing a hand along Peter’s cheekbone. He couldn’t think of a greater honour than protecting the person that meant the most to him in his life.

“Always.” He never agreed with anything more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. I wrote the ending while I was having a really, really bad day and I hope my sour mood didn't seep into my writing at all. I was actually in tears while I wrote this but I really wanted to get this finished while the holiday season is still alive.
> 
> Anyways I'm done being dramatic, so that concludes this story! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I wanted you to. Don't forget to leave some final feedback to let me know how I did. I appreciate any kind comments you can give.

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. Wow, that came out longer than I expected. xD I honestly don't know how I'm making time to write in uni. Who needs sleep? This girl! Who won't be getting any? This girl!
> 
> Anyways, please leave feedback and kudos if you liked this. I'd also appreciate some suggestions on what I should write next! If you're not comfortable leaving a plot or idea down there, you can contact me on Tumblr at [Sincerely Mia](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/xxsincerelymiaxx) and let me know a plot or idea you have for a future work in this collection. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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